CrackBerry guide to kid friendly apps - Educate and entertain children of all ages

Children love to play with everything and anything they can get their hands on. My friend's son is 3 years old and since he's coming to visit, it got me thinking of kids and BlackBerrys and what applications might interest a young child.

Now while some may argue that smartphones are not a toy and that your Berry will more than likely end up being thrown against a wall or destroyed from water damage; as a parent only you can decide if they're ready. Maybe with a little supervision (and a good warranty plan), we can pass along our BlackBerry addiction to the next generation and help them learn along the way.

Road Trip Family Trivia Challenge

Kids and parents go head to head in a winners take all trivia game by Gordon Steward. With over 600 questions that test a variety of topics for both the young and old this is bound to be a hit for the entire family. Categories include pop culture, sports, geography, history, and science.

Both the original and sequel are available for $2.99 in BlackBerry App World for all devices running OS 5 and lower. Sorry folks, no OS 6 support yet.

KidsABC - Learn the ABCs with talking animal alphabet

Teach your little one how to read and pronounce their ABCs with this application by Toysoft Development, the creators of KidsMath.

For every letter displayed, it's matched with the corresponding animal. Parents can test their children or have the app read the entire alphabet aloud.

KidsABC is available from the CrackBerry AppStore for only $.99 and is compatible with all touch and non-touch devices running OS 4.7 and higher.

More information/download of KidsABC

Hangman Kids

The classic adult game is here to help improve your child's spelling and vocabulary with its revamped game design, images, and animations. Parents can choose the level of difficulty and activate the special built-in child lock to prevent accidental access to your device by curious little minds.

Hangman is available for free at BlackBerry App World for all devices.

Doodle

Previously available for the Storm, Doodle has been updated for compatibility with the Torch. It's the perfect application for the artist in all of us because who doesn't love finger-painting! With 25 colors to choose from, 4 different stroke sizes and 4 kinds of effects; you and your child will have hours of fun. Plus, users can save or just shake the device to clear the screen.

Doodle by Tafasa is available at the CrackBerry AppStore in a paid ersion for $.99 and free (ad supported) version for touch devices
only.

More information/download ad-free version
More information/download ad-supported version

MathGO! Safari

From the developers that brought you Super BabyGO!
and ArtGO! Coloring Lite comes MathGO! Safari. This application both entertains and educates children of all ages. Using colorful animals and prizes for answering questions correctly, young kids can learn counting, addition and subtraction by going on a fun safari. With the parental lock to keep them focused on the game, this application is sure to bring a smile to their face while also being a great learning tool.

MathGO! Safari by Zeebu is available from BlackBerry App World for $2.99 and is supported by all devices.

Doodle Jump

The extremely addictive game is now available for BlackBerry and boy is it hard to put down. Leap and jump from platform to platform along the graph paper using springs, propeller hats and jet packs. Great for children ages five and older, this will definitely be one of those games where you'll have to hide your device to keep them from playing.

Doodle Jump by Gamehouse is available at BlackBerry App World for $1.99

Pac-Man

Listed in CrackBerry's Free OTA BlackBerry Apps page, how could this game not be included? This is one of the best arcade games of all time. Props to Benny Chow for developing it for BlackBerry with your favorite ghosts: Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde. What better way for kids to have fun than by introducing them to the game you grew up on?

Pac-Man by Benny Chow is available for all BlackBerry devices running
OS 5 and below for free.

Labryinth 2

I remember when this was just a wooden box and knobs on the side. It was frustrating then and it's frustrating now. With all new levels for beginners, kids can maneuver the steel ball around the obstacles to the finish hole for hours of fun.

Labyrinth 2 is available for $3.99 at the CrackBerry AppStore for Storm and Torch users only.

More information/purchase of Labyrinth 2

Bookworm

A fantastic education and word search game for kids ages five and older, this is definitely a great way to improve their vocabulary. Build words fast to feed Lex the Bookworm and advance to the next level. Make sure not to let the tiles build up or you'll get those pesky burning tiles that will burn down the library.

Bookworm by Magmic is available at BlackBerry App World for $6.99 for all devices running OS 5 and lower.

Bubble Birds Premium

A twist on the popular game Bubble Shooter, earn points by shooting as many birds as possible by like color in sets of three or more to advance to the next level. With its bright colors and bird theme graphics your child will enjoy this unique version of the classic game.

Bubble Birds Premium by XIMAD is available at the CrackBerry AppStore for $1.99 for touch and non devices running OS 4.7 and higher with
resolutions of 320x240, 360x480, and 480x360.

More information/purchase of Bubble Birds

So next time you're out and about at the grocery store, in the car, or just stuck at home because of bad weather, why not keep your little addict entertained by trying one of these applications and games. Just remember to keep an eye on your little one while they play.

What applications do you allow your child to use? Sound off in the comments below.